Warrnambool City Council has won two State awards for events – the only municipality in Australia to do so in what has been a challenging year for public events.
Online music festival Get Around Warrnambool presents LoungeFest won the 2020 Victorian Government Event of the Year award, while neon-themed scavenger hunt Solstice Searching was deemed the 2020 Victorian Regional Event of the Year.
Warrnambool Mayor, Vicki Jellie said the awards – presented by Meetings and Events Australia – recognise the goodwill in the events space between Council, event partners and the broader community.
“Warrnambool is an events city. When there aren’t restrictions on tourism, event play a key role in our visitor economy, but they are just as important for local residents and they add a lot to the liveability of the city,” she said.
“While virtual concerts will forever be synonymous with the COVID-19 pandemic, LoungeFest was one of the first events of its kind in Australia.
“The reason we could put the event together so quickly was due to the willingness of the local musicians and all of our event partners to get involved. Everyone saw what we were trying to create, and people watched in their thousands.
“With Solstice Searching, it was such a great concept, it could have worked at any time.
“With winter setting in on the darkest year for many people in living memory, it did so much to lift everyone’s spirits and put smiles back on faces.
“Running the event over two nights was incredibly successful too. The second night was even busier than the first as people scrolled their social media feeds and saw just how impressive it was, and they were so excited to go and see it for themselves.”
The Mayor said all-new neon artworks would be back in 2022 with Solstice Searching and the new Solstice Search Party to be annual events going forward, to add some colour to winter.
“So congratulations to everyone who helped to make these events possible. Thank you to the council staff, LoungeFest partners COAST FM/3YB, Fitz Media and Karen Thomson, all of the musicians and neon creative artist Carla O’Brien,” she said.
